Rotary toothbrush



E. F. SCHWORM.-

I ROTARY TooTHBRusH. VAPPLICATION FILED JUNE l I, 1921.

11,4:2O,?,8^8.l Patented June 20,I 1922.l

5 A Zn/afd. .S'f Wal/'112 UNITED f EDWARD F. SCHWOR-M,

rice.

OF BEACH CITY, YOHIO.

ROTARY TOOTHBRUSH.

T 0 all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. Soriwomr, a citizenof the United States, residing at- Beach City, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Toothbrushes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. A

The present invention has for its purpose the provision of a brush of this character, whereby through revoluble movement, the bristles of the brush may pass through the transverse crevices of the teeth and between the teeth, as well as upon the surfaces, in'

y order to thoroughly clean the teeth.

Another purpose is the provision of improved means for supporting the handle of the brush, and coupling it to a revoluble flexible shaft, which may be revolved or rotated in any suitable manner, preferably electrically.

Still another purpose consists in a suitable casing including a pliable tube or casing for the` flexible shaft, there being a socket carried by one end of the flexible shaft and located within the casing, so that the handle of the revoluble brush may be easily and quickly attached and detached to the flexible shaft, and at the same time revolve with the shaft, thc bristles of the brush extending radially from the brush shaft, so as to work between the teeth.y and into the transverse crevices and cavities.

A further purpose embodies the provision of a shield to be attached and detached to and from the casing, and adapted when attached vto the casing to shield one-half of the brush', whereby the smooth. part of the shield may contact with the .inner surface of the cheek of the' user.

When cleaning the portions of the teeth adjacent the inner portion of the mouth, the shield may be removed, but when cleaning the sides of the teeth toward the cheek, the shield may be attached, so as to prevent the bristles of the brush from sweeping against the inner surface of the cheek.

A still further purpose is the provision of means for steadying the brush shaft and preventing the same from vibrating, during` the rotation of the brush, either when the shield is applied, or when the shield is detached, and a plug or bushing used instead thereof.

While the design and .construction at Specification of Letters Patent. pigmented Jun@ i921; serial No. 476,913.'

present illustrated and set forth is deemed preferable,'it is obvious that as a result of a reduction of the invention to a more practical form for commercial purposes, the inventionmay'be susceptible of changes, and

the right to these changes is claimed, pro-5' vided they are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed.y

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts', as'will be hereinafter set forth, shown in thedrawings andl' claimed.

In the drawings Figure l is a viewl in elevation, showing the revoluble tooth brush constructed in parts in elevation, with Athe shield remo-vedx-* Figure l is an enlarged detail sectional view through the connection between the casing and the pliable tube, and between the brush shaft and the flexible shaft. i

-lof. Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, `l designates a pliable tube constructed of any suitable pliable niaterial such as rubberized fabric or Figure 5 is a cross sectional lview on line the like, and which is provided with a metall' extension sleeve 2, which is connectedto a tubular casing 3 having a handle 1l. A flexible shaft 5 is located in the pliable tube l and may be connected to any suitable source of power (not shown), may be rotated. p l l In the average homes of recent years, and those to be constructed, electricity is-used for lighting, heating, cooking, cleaning and whereby the Shaft-'1.'

performing 'all the necessary work, hence'? small electric motors may be used in connection with the source 'of current, such motors as those used in vibrators, sothat Vthe-*present form kof revoluble tooth brushmay be easily and quickly attached and detached. In other words the flexible shaft may be coupled to such motors, so that any form of revolving instrument may be attached and detached to the flexible shaft. It is obvious that not only tooth brushes may be used in connection with the flexible shaft, but other brushes, such as brushes for cleaning bottles,

jars, glasses and the like.

However the flexible shaft 5 terminates in a socket 7, which is rectangular in cross section, and arranged transversely of the socket at diametrically opposite points are springs 8; These wire springs are fastened in openings formed in the wall of the socket, and are engaged with an annular groove 9 in one end of the tooth brush shaft 10. In

other words the' tooth brush shaft 10 has an extension 11 rectangularrin cross section to engage the socket of the shaft 5, and the eX- .treinity fof vtheY rectangular extension has a frusto-conical head 12, between which and the rectangular extension 11the annular groove 9 is formed.

When attaching the brush on the shaft 10, the rectangular eX- tension .1l is forced into the socket, until the frusto-conical'head engages between the two springs, separating theinsuiiiciently to per- .mit the springs `to engage the annular groove r9, therebypreventing the brush shaft from detachingin an aXial direction. In other words preventing the brush shaft from pulling out of the socket. The handle 4 of the casing may beconstructed of any suitable fibre, or hard rubber, wood or the like, or

any other suitable material, and is applied to the casing 3 in any suitable manner.

The end portion 13 of the casing has interior threads 14, with which the threads 15 of a bushing, or" the threads 16 of one end yof the shield engage. The bearing bushing 17 islirst attached to the casing, and the brush shaft is passed through the same, un-

ktilthe frusto-conical head 12 positions beyond the springs of the socket, in which case the brush shaft will rotate with the flexible shaft 5. This bushing 17 has an interior annularrecess 18, which receives ra suitable packing or the like 19, thereby not only preventing vibrations of the brush shaft, but also permitting the shaft to rotate easily, and without frictional wear on the metal parts.

:The shield 20iis also-provided with an annular recess-'21 to receive a packing 22 to prevent vibration of the brush shaft. This shield terminates in a semi-circular-portion 23, whieh'houses or shields one-half of the Vbrush 24. One end of the brush shaft has a;socket=25,A which receives the stud 26 on one y-end of the semi-circular housing of the shield, thereby-holding the brush steady. It willbenoted that theshield .20 remains sta- -tionary with the .casing 3, and since the iflexible shaft isadapted to rotate, the Abrush razones shaft correspondingly rotates. By means of the shield covering one-half of the brush,

ythe bristles of the brush are 'prevented from sweeping against the inner surface of the cheek of the user. Furthermore the shield prevents the water or other cleaning substance being thrown centrifugallylfrom the bristles of the brush during its revoluble movements, particularly when cleaning the faces of the teeth facing inwardlyL of the Y shaft, consequently the brushes belonging to y the respective members of the household may be attached and detached, as lthey are usedV by their owners. In other words-each home may be equipped with a flexible shaft, the casing and the socket, then each member of the household may have a brush shaft, insertible in the socket of said casing. Obviously each member lofv the household may clean his or her teeth with a revolving brush.

The invention having been setvforth, what is claimed as being` useful is:

In a device of the character described, a i

handle having a longitudinal bore therethrough, a cap detachably engaged upon one end of the handle and formed with .a hole of less diameterthan the bore of the handle, a drive shaft journaled through said hole-in the cap and formed with anA enlarged portion rotatable within the bore of thehandle and formed with a rectangular socket, aspindle rotatable within the bore of the handle and extension .fitting within said socket and terminating in a head and a constricted neck, and a: pair .of spring wires extending transversely of the socket and engaging Vwithin said constricted neck forholding the spindle,

against longitudinal displacement relatively to the socket.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiiX y"my signature. v

EDWARD SGHWOR'M.

Vhavingone end formed with a rectangular 

